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23 Chapter 2: Forestry Products and Techniques

Christmas Trees: Real or Fake? In recent years, people have become more thoughtful about the environmental impacts of the choices they make. For people who celebrate Christmas, this inspires a tricky question: What is better for the Earth, a real Christmas tree or an artificial one? Some people take issue with the idea of cutting down a live tree only to throw it away a few weeks later. Artificial trees, by contrast, are reusable. If you invest in one, you can use it again and again, rather than destroying a new tree every year. However, artificial trees are usually made from plastic, which is not especially environmentally friendly. You also have to consider the impact of the factory that made the tree in the first place. Many artificial trees are shipped from China, adding to their environmental impact. And it’s not uncommon for artificial trees to end their lives in landfills, which contributes to the problem. On the other hand, real trees are biodegradable . They can be recycled and turned into mulch or compost. It is also worth considering the fact that Christmas tree farms are a big

business, employing some 100,000 people during the season and taking up about 350,000 acres of land in the United States. That’s a lot of land devoted to trees that might otherwise be sold to developers. In the end, experts say that both live and artificial trees have equal— and ultimately pretty minor— impacts on the environment. But if you are concerned about the impact of your seasonal decorations, the American Christmas Tree Association makes the following recommendations: (1) if you choose a live tree, buy one that was grown locally if possible, (2) consider how far your tree (whether artificial or real) had to travel to get to you, (3) reuse artificial trees for a minimum of 9 years, and (4) be sure to properly dispose of your real tree.